Chapter 423: Chapter 423: Finding Another Way

Li Xu and Ding Kaifang weren’t the only ones at the plantation.

Some tourists were also there, taking pictures.

There were also some clients from out of town, clutching informational materials and following the plantation’s manager, Feng Kong, as they walked and listened to his presentation.

Feng Kong was a man in his forties with tanned skin and a warm, honest smile, but his eyes held a shrewd glint.

He enthusiastically began explaining the plantation’s cultivation methods to the crowd. "Esteemed guests, welcome to the Yuanjiang Aloe Vera Plantation.

"We use natural mountain water for irrigation, a pure and unpolluted source.

"We also strictly adhere to the highest international standards for organic cultivation. In our Aloe Vera fields, we insist on manual weeding, never use pesticides, and only apply farm-sourced organic fertilizers. We strive to create the most natural growing environment possible.

"Furthermore, we use organic farming methods like periodic crop rotation to maintain the soil’s natural vitality, ensuring the Aloe Vera continuously receives the purest nutrients."

He paused, pointing to a field of Aloe Vera. "We are meticulous about every detail of cultivation.

"Here, the planting density is approximately 1,500 to 1,600 plants per mu, with a wide row spacing of 120 cm, narrow row spacing of 50-60 cm, and 50 cm between individual plants.

"This density ensures that each Aloe Vera plant receives ample sunlight and nutrients without being overcrowded, which would hinder its growth.

"Our research staff also regularly monitors the growth of the Aloe Vera to ensure every plant is rich in active and nutritional compounds.

"It is all these stringent measures that result in our perfect, high-quality Curaçao Aloe."

Feng Kong’s voice was filled with pride.

"What you might not know is that we transport freshly harvested Aloe Vera to Perfect Company’s processing facility at top speed, adhering to the ’Golden 6-Hour Rule’ for production.

"This technique preserves the maximum nutritional activity of the Aloe Vera, locking in its natural ingredients and guaranteeing its pure efficacy.

"Moreover, the gel from Curaçao Aloe contains a range of beneficial compounds and is naturally resistant to pests, so we almost never need to use pesticides. It’s grown in a natural, ecological way, making it extremely healthy and safe."

Finally, Feng Kong passionately recommended Perfect Company’s flagship product to the group—Perfect Aloe Vera Gel.

He held up a tube of the Aloe Vera Gel for everyone to see. "Our Perfect Aloe Vera Gel is extracted from the Aloe Vera grown right here on this plantation using a cold stabilization method. It’s highly pure and can soothe and repair the skin, improve roughness, enhance elasticity, and provide gentle moisturization. It’s an excellent choice for your daily skincare routine."

After listening to Feng Kong’s presentation, many of the clients expressed great interest.

They all said they wanted to purchase Perfect Aloe Vera Gel, and Feng Kong enthusiastically directed them to the marketing department to discuss terms.

Finally, it was Ding Kaifang and Li Xu’s turn.

The two men stepped forward, greeted Feng Kong, and then explained their reason for visiting, requesting to purchase raw Aloe Vera.

Upon hearing this, the enthusiastic smile on Feng Kong’s face instantly vanished.

He shook his head repeatedly, his tone firm. "I’m sorry, gentlemen, but we don’t sell our raw Aloe Vera. We don’t even have enough for our own use." 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Undeterred, Ding Kaifang asked tentatively, "We can offer a higher price, Manager Feng. What do you say...?"

Feng Kong remained unmoved. "President Ding, this isn’t about the price. Perfect Company has a completely integrated supply chain, from Aloe Vera cultivation and processing all the way to the sale of the gel. We only sell the final product, the Aloe Vera Gel, not the raw materials."

Ding Kaifang and Li Xu had hit a dead end and felt a sense of helplessness.

They had assumed that with Yuanjiang’s abundant Aloe Vera resources, procuring raw materials would be no problem. They never expected Perfect Company to employ a vertical integration strategy and refuse to sell raw materials at all.

Back at the hotel, the two sat down to discuss their next move.

"It looks like Perfect Company is protecting its raw Aloe Vera as a core competitive advantage," Ding Kaifang said, dejected.

Li Xu thought for a moment before saying, "Since Perfect Company won’t sell, let’s ask around elsewhere tomorrow. Yuanjiang is a big place; there must be more than one Aloe Vera plantation."

Early the next morning, the two began asking around Yuanjiang County Town and its surrounding areas for other Aloe Vera growers.

However, after a full day of searching, the results only left them more disheartened.

Yunnan is a mountainous province. This region, including parts of neighboring Guangxi, was known in ancient times as the "One Hundred Thousand Great Mountains," and the amount of arable land is extremely limited.

The only reason Perfect Company’s plantation was able to reach a scale of over two thousand mu was that they had planned ahead and consolidated large, continuous tracts of high-quality land.

While other farmers in the area also grew Aloe Vera, their operations were all on a very small scale.

Some growers had only three to five mu of land, others seven or eight. Farms larger than ten mu were few and far between.

Furthermore, these plots were often not contiguous. Some were separated by several mountains, a journey of several hours on foot. The lack of convenient transportation meant that procurement costs would be exorbitant.

If they sourced from multiple scattered farms, not only would it be difficult to ensure consistent quality, but logistics and management would also become a massive headache.

Ding Kaifang stared at the scattered information on the small-time growers, his brow furrowed with worry.

Large-scale production of Aloe Vera Frost required a massive amount of raw Aloe Vera. If they couldn’t find a stable, high-quality, and large-scale supplier, the entire project would face an enormous challenge.

"What are we going to do, Doctor Li?"

Ding Kaifang sighed. "If we can’t solve this raw material problem, we can’t mass-produce our Aloe Vera Frost. Are we supposed to just use ordinary Aloe Vera?"

There were large plantations in other regions, but due to differences in climate and terrain, the Aloe Vera from places like Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan was considered superior.

Li Xu fell into thought.

’The information I received didn’t specify a particular type of Aloe Vera.’

’But better raw materials make for a better final product. That’s a given.’

’If I can use high-quality Aloe Vera, I should.’

’I’ll only consider sourcing from other regions if there’s absolutely no other choice.’

The two of them discussed the matter for a while.

Since it was proving difficult to find a suitable plantation in Yuanjiang, they decided to check other parts of Yunnan.

If they still couldn’t find a satisfactory supplier in Yunnan, they would have to consider looking in other provinces.

However, Li Xu couldn’t spend all his time on this investigation.

He still had to see patients at his clinic and couldn’t neglect his main profession.

And as the general manager of the Ding Group, Ding Kaifang couldn’t afford to spend all his time searching for raw Aloe Vera either.

Just as the two were planning to head back and assign a business manager to handle the procurement of raw Aloe Vera, Li Xu’s phone rang.

The caller ID displayed Village Chief Ma Jinhua from Anchi Village in Jiangyou’s Xinzeng Town.

Li Xu answered the call.

"Doctor Li, have you been busy lately?"

Village Chief Ma asked, his voice thick with a Sichuan accent.

"Hello, Village Chief Ma. Things at the clinic have been fine. How are things on your end?"

Li Xu replied, exchanging pleasantries.

"We’re doing great over here. The Aconite in the village is growing wonderfully."

Village Chief Ma chuckled before getting to the point. "Doctor Li, about your demand for Aconite this year... is it still a case of ’the more, the better’?"

"That’s right. The more, the better."

Li Xu replied without a moment’s hesitation.